So why is repetition important?  Many adults like to listen to the same music over and over.  It gets in our heads and into our hearts.  Music reminds of times and experiences- it evokes emotions and memories.  Music is the soundtrack of our lives.  Children begin experiencing this in infancy (many would say they really begin experiencing this in the womb.)  My own children were soothed by familiar music and showed signs of music recognition as early as a few weeks old.

Repetition in listening is one way that we can encourage music appreciation but we can also use repetition as a means of experiencing beats and tempos.  When you clap 3 times and then ask the children to repeat what you did, they follow the number of beats (3) and the speed at which you clapped (tempo).  This activity is great because very, very young children can participate, while you can make this much more complicated for older children.  Older children also like to create the beats and the tempo while others follow them.

Consider the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”.  First we sing it slowly..

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

Knees and toes.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

Knees and toes.

Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,

Knees and toes.

Next, we sing it fast…speeding up the tempo.

Then, we sing it super fast…. so fast that the kids can’t really keep up (they think this is very funny).

Finally, we sing it super slow….so slow, that is sounds like it is in slow motion (also funny).

Be sure to use the mathematical vocabulary words like “tempo,” “slow,” “fast,” and “super fast.”  Talk to the children about the “speed” of the tempo and ask for ideas from them about songs they can sing fast and slow.